Swap
by Lost In Reverie
Summary: Early-mid series, (hopefully) close to original flavor. It's a difficult situation, one Yuusuke finds hilarious, for the moment. Hiei and Kurama aren't too happy, though...
1. Hi-Hiei?

Swap

* * *

I sat by the window, drinking tea and enjoying my evening meal. The room had been growing dark around me, but I did not bother to turn on any lights. My mother had said she needed to work late tonight at the office, so I felt it was okay to go ahead and eat without her. I missed her company, but I knew she was probably happy right now—the man she's been dating was probably working late with her, too.

The sun set orange, yellow and red over the late autumn canopy of my backyard while I savored the taste of my meal. It was a pretty view, but I really did not feel like being alone tonight. I could hear every board creek, every branch rustle, and the soft click of the furnace as it began its new cycle. I was tempted to turn on the stereo to drown it all out. My youko-self would have been annoyed with my foolishness. It's not that my senses were strong—after all, I'm physically only human—I was listening for my mother's return.

I knew she wasn't anywhere near by. The room I continued to eat in was dark and still as I stretched my other senses outward. I expected to feel the pull of the plants, since, of course, not all were growing dormant in preparation for winter. But instead, I noticed something else. I sensed a consciousness.

Someone was out there in the woods, watching me.

I thought about it for a while, and then came to the realization that it could only be Hiei. Kurama no baka…

So, I picked my chopsticks back up off my plate and began to eat again, making a point to savor each bite. I wasn't sure what Hiei was doing out there in the forest watching me like that, but… If it really was a matter of great importance, he would confront me soon. He's not a coward, after all--he's just introverted. Still, my curiosity was peaked. As I sat there eating I stretched my senses out, hoping to learn more.

Fifteen minutes went by and what was left of my evening meal had grown cold. I wondered… 'Was he spying on me?' I stood up, pushed the chair in, and carried my dishes to the sink. Maybe… Maybe he was just waiting for me to finish my meal. Or… Maybe my human mind was just playing tricks on me. I dumped the uneaten portion of my dinner into the garbage then rinsed my plate.

Still, the fire demon did not come. Impatiently, I sighed, now frustrated. I began to think maybe I should give Yuusuke a telephone call and see if there was any new reikai tantei business at hand. Why else was Hiei watching me?

Looking at the kitchen window, seeing only my own reflection, I spoke, fists lightly clenched. "Hiei—if you have something to say, you better tell me now—'Kaasan is due back any minute." There was no way I would allow him to come knocking at my bedroom window. A guy needs his beauty sleep, after all.

I turned away from the sink and left the kitchen.

Fifteen minutes later Kuwabara-kun called with a math question. I really wasn't that busy and he really wasn't all the eager to go back to his studies, so we chatted a while. He seemed to be in a somewhat amicable mood, but… the more we talked, the uneasier he became.

"Kurama?"

"Yes?"

"What's goin' on?"

I chuckled a bit, though even I noticed that I didn't sound happy. Something was bothering me. I closed my eyes once and let loose a brief sigh. "Honestly?"

"Yes. I can sense that you're disturbed. What is it?"

I sat up in my chair and closed my math book. I didn't think I'd be going back to my studies tonight. "It's Hiei. I'm pretty sure I sensed his youryoku out there in the woods. He's been there all evening, but… He hasn't moved. I'm considering going out there to check on him. Something is weird."

"You're sure it's him?"

"No, I'm not. I'm not nearly as powerful as I was when I was a youko. Perhaps this could just be my imagination?"

"Kurama, I have a bad feeling tonight. If you weren't part youkai, I'd probably tell you to stay indoors tonight. Something is wrong. I feel it."

"I think I'm going to check on Hiei."

"Alright. And I'll call you back in another fifteen minutes then. Okay?"

"Sure. Good luck with your studies."

"Thanks. I'll be needing it."

I hung up the phone and went to the hall closet to find a coat to wear. I chose my favorite pink pullover, the one I bought last year at a rummage sale. My mother wishes that I'd buy more manly things, but… as with everything else, I went ahead and bought it anyway. It suits me--just like Hiei has that flare for belts.

I couldn't figure out why Hiei would be out there in the woods, doing nothing, all this time. I surmised that perhaps he could have been using his jagan, but that made no sense. He'd only be there too… Too look at me? I've never been that interesting, me and my foolish ningen ways. Hiei wouldn't be doing that.

So, what was he doing?' I wondered.

I turned on the back spotlight, and then walked outside, stretching my senses into the night as I went. His youryoku wasn't that far, and not so surprisingly, from his position, he'd have had a good view of myself enjoying my evening meal by the window. I wasn't so sure if I liked that, but I decided I would still aide him anyway. There was something strange about the whole situation, even his youryoku felt different as I approached.

Hiei was standing motionless underneath an old tree I used to climb as a child. I know he's slept in that tree at least once, though he did not appear to be in any shape to do that tonight. He looked… very ill at ease, and quit unusually pale and haggard. As I approached I saw that he held his body stiff as a fluctuating energy pulsed in a small blue aura around his chest. His eyes were very wide, and his pupils were small, as if he wasn't seeing me, but only whatever it was that transpired in his mind.

"Hiei…" I called, not expecting a reply. He didn't hear me, I was sure, but I had to try, just in case. I wasn't sure what exactly was going on, all I knew was that I needed to help him come back to himself. "Hiei…"

I shook his shoulders, and then looked to see if there was any reaction to my touch in his face. His third eye was open and… I tried to look away.

I could not.

I felt my mind and body liquefy and I passed out.

"Shuuichi!"

I awoke to the sound of Kurama's ningen mother calling up the stairs. Her voice was light and sweet, touched with a mild hint of concern. I rolled over in bed, pulling the sheets around me—then immediately sat upright. What was I doing in Kurama's bed?!

I couldn't see straight… due to a mass of tangled red hair covering my face. I brushed it all away with my hands, noticing at once that this hair was not Kurama's. No… Surprisingly, it was attached to my own head, as if it had grown there wildly in the night.

"Shuuichi!"

"Hai!" I loudly called out to her, unexpectedly in her son's somewhat feminine voice. My body felt wrong. As I sat there, bewildered in Kurama's bed, I noticed my perspective was higher than usual and… When I inspected my arms and legs I noticed… I was dressed in a pink top and purple pants.

Fear rose in my gut, and I whipped my head around, looking for the mirror. What I saw was appalling… Kurama's wide green eyes stared back at me in shock… his rosy-pink coloring draining from his cheeks. I tugged at my red locks, shoving them back behind my shoulders, watching him do the same. He was I.

"You have a telephone call. It's your friend, Kuwabara-kun."

I didn't want to call back to her. I did not want to hear Kurama's voice. My mind couldn't process this… but somehow I managed to remove myself from Kurama's bed and walk out of his room. I'd never been in this part of his house before, nor had I ever used a telephone, yet… I had to talk to Kuwabara, even if he was a ningen no baka.

Shiori held out a cordless telephone, and I reached for it, not having to go all the way downstairs. I was grateful, not wanting to have this discussion with her standing by me.

"Kurama--You doin' ok?"

I sighed. "Kisama--I am NOT Kurama! Ch'," I yelled into the phone-- still horrified by the sound of Kurama's voice coming from my mouth.

"Hi-Hiei?" Kuwabara stuttered in disbelief.

"Baka."

* * *

JM Revereie 2001 - 2004/p 

Yu Yu Hakusho is copyright to Yoshihiro Togashi/Shueisha, Jump comics, Fuji Television and Studio Pierrot and licensed by FUNImation Productions, Inc.


	2. and withdrew... A single red rose.

"Hi-Hiei? How… How is this possible?" Kuwabara asked.

I hung up the phone. I wasn't going to answer the fool. Let him figure it out. The first thing I needed to do was change out of this damn pink pullover. Kurama…

"Shuuichi! You'll be late for school!"

Damn. Damn Kurama. I knew the color he wore to school… and the crowds of people, expecting... expecting me to interact with them. I also knew how important it was to him that he attend school to maintain a normal ningen life… But I just did not want to go through with it. This wasn't my business.

The phone rang again in my hands, and I pressed the 'on' button. "What?"

A baritone voice replied back. "Hiei." I could almost hear the warble in his throat-the feelings of despair he was trying to hide from me. I knew the sounds of my own voice too well.

I didn't like hearing him use my voice, either.

"Kurama?"

"You don't have to go to school for me today. Tell 'Kaasan that you're feeling ill and then climb back into bed. I'll stop by in an hour or two and we can talk about this."

"All right."

"See you then."

I hung up again, and walked out of Kurama's bedroom and to the stairs. Shiori was standing at the bottom of them with a look of concern on her face. I wasn't acting like Kurama. Or, maybe he doesn't normally have telephone calls like this.

"Is everything alright, Shuuichi? You look ill." She motioned for me to come down to her, but I held my ground and stood still, gripping the wall with one hand for support. "Stay home, son. You need rest." I nodded and turned away slowly, taking the cordless phone with me.

Before succumbing to my growing need for sleep, I forcibly yanked off Kurama's pink pullover and tossed it way to the far corner of the room. Soon, his white button-down shirt followed-but what I really wanted was not to ditch just his clothing, but his body. It's just not where I wanted to be.

Shirtless, I walked over to Kurama's mirror and took one more look into his green eyes. If I stood still, I could almost forget that this was my reflection staring back at me. I felt at peace. But, the moment was spoiled when I realized he'd never be looking into my eyes… I'm usually too short for that.

I turned my head away, feeling his locks caress my bare back. I couldn't take the torture of the moment any more. I took one fist and punched into the air rapidly, following with a swift sidekick before giving up and climbing into Kurama's bed. This was not what I considered fun.

I awoke this time to a tapping noise. I sat up in bed to find myself knocking at Kurama's window. It was weird to watch him-me-crouch there on the tree branch by the ledge… If I were not in his body I would have thought he was me-he hadn't changed out of my clothes from last night and was carrying my katana. I pushed the bed covers aside and went to the window to let him in.

When he grinned at me, I suppressed the urge to push him back out the window.

"Hiei? Where's my shirt?"

I shrugged and crossed my arms. "Not on me." Kurama chuckled and shook his head before pulling out his swivel chair from his desk and taking a seat.

"Hiei-what were you doing last night?"

I sat back down the bed and thought a moment. I remembered being in the woods behind Kurama's home, but… For the first time in my life, I honestly could not remember exactly what I had been doing. I looked at him and shrugged.

"Kuwabara-kun says that it is difficult for him to sense the difference between us."

"So?"

"Is there anyone else involved?"

"I was alone, and," I stood up from the bed and looked him in the eye. "I don't know what happened."

"All right."

"We can't just stay here and talk."

"Hai. I'd like to examine the area where the exchange took place, and later Kuwabara would like to meet with us."

I went to Kurama's closet and began rummaging through his shirts. "You don't have anything black, do you?"

"None that you would want-they aren't very plain. You can find my Chinese clothes in the bottom of my dresser drawer. Do you mind if I get changed, too? "

I nodded and he left the room. There wasn't much I really liked of his clothing to choose from… but I found some jeans, a blue shirt and some belts before he came back dressed in an oversized yellow shirt and blue sash. "Yuusuke is here, isn't he?"

Kurama grinned again, wearing my face all wrong.

'Kuso…'

I followed Kurama down the stairs towards the loud sounds of Yuusuke's pounding at the front door. I didn't want to see Yuusuke right then, but I went to the door anyway, but stood away, at a distance. When Kurama let him in, he stood in the doorway just staring at us.

"Kurama?"

"Hai." He said, using my baritone voice, but in a softer tone, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end.

"Hiei?" I shrugged, not wishing to let him indulge in the moment, knowing full well it was a losing battle. I braced myself, waiting for his laughter. And it came.

"Baka."

He laughed louder.

Kurama cleared his throat and beckoned Yuusuke back out the front door. "We need to find out what really happened-we can't stay like this much longer--I have responsibilities to school, and 'Kaasan." He swallowed again, eyes downcast, after his last word.

Yuusuke nodded, suddenly serious. Kurama ran ahead of us, to the forest area where I had been the night before. "Are you sure you're Hiei?"

"What makes you say that?'

"Well, why aren't you the one dashing off ahead?"

"Shut up." I picked up the pace, mentally cursing Kurama's stupid ningen body for keeping me slow--though in less than a moment, I was there, standing next to Kurama, examining a tree I used to sleep in from time to time.

"I don't feel anything unusual here, Hiei. This really bothers me."

Kurama walked a way a few paces, leaving my line of vision and Yuusuke approached me, looking sheepish. I knew from his posture he was up to nothing I would be interested in. Still, I was ready to listen. "Nan da yo?"

"Hiei-I have to ask…" Hands in his pockets, he grinned at me. "So, is Kurama a real guy?" I held my ground, glaring at him. "Is he?" I wasn't about to dignify that question with a reply. It was not my business, nor his, for the matter. Humans…

Kurama appeared again at my side. "Nothing. I found nothing out of the ordinary-so we'll just have to think of something else." He unhooked my katana from his side and held it out to me. "I can't seem to make much use of your jagan-if you also can't use my powers, you'll need this back."

I took it from him, withdrawing the blade from the sheath, taking one long last look at my sword before… giving it back to him. "Take it."

"Demo…"

Somehow, I knew I didn't need it. Before he could shove the hilt back into my grasp I took one hand and reached for a seed behind my neck and withdrew… A single red rose.

* * *

JM Reverie 2001 - 2004

Yu Yu Hakusho is copyright to Yoshihiro Togashi/Shueisha, Jump comics, Fuji Television and Studio Pierrot and licensed by FUNImation Productions, Inc.


	3. red glittering eyes...

  
Yuusuke's gaze was transfixed on the red rose I held out into the air between us. Kurama also did not bother to hide his shock-his jaw had gone slack and his mouth was slightly open. While all eyes were on me I smirked back at them. This just felt so… Right.

Yuusuke was the first to find his voice. "Ah, can you do anything with that, Hiei?" I shrugged. "Of course."

Eyes wide, Kurama shook his head from side to side, but said nothing. I flicked my arm back and cried, "Rosewhip!"

"Hi--Hiei!! No!" Kurama shouted.

It was too late for me to stop, even if I had wanted too. In an instant I felt the rose stem thicken and grow into a long, thorny vine as I swung it out into the air. With a thud, the end of my rosewhip hit the ground hard creating a long and narrow trench in the earth.

I grinned--this fun.

"You shouldn't be able to do this--I don't understand, Hiei."

I looked at Kurama and felt angry, not realizing then that I had already grown accustomed to his use of my voice and body. "What? Why?"

"Because." He said, glaring at me with his red, glittering eyes. "Abilities, such as my control over plants, are linked to a youkai's your yoku, not their bodies." He clenched his fists. "This just isn't possible!"

I tightened the grip on my rosewhip and took a step forward. "So what? I'm doing it, aren't I?

Yuusuke put up his arms, waiving for us to stop. "Guys, guys-chotto matte yo. Stop." Kurama lunged at me, sword drawn. I jumped over his head, pivoting as I landed and swung my elbow into the back of his neck-hard. Kurama stumbled, but did not fall unconscious. I was tempted to fix that with a swift kick to his head, but stopped, waiting to see what was on his mind.

"That hurt, Hiei." Kurama said through clenched teeth.

"So? You're the one who started this." I gripped my rosewhip tighter, wondering if he would make me use it. This… It just wasn't like him.

"I want my body back."

Kurama was not in his right mind. I stared at him a moment, not sure if I wanted to continue the fight.

"Kurama--I don't think Hiei did this on purpose."

"I--I know. I think the swap is effecting my mind as well." He put my katana back in its sheath. "Excuse me."

"Let's go get Kuwabara. This situation seems a bit more serious than I thought."

* * *

JM Reverie 2001 - 2004

Yu Yu Hakusho is copyright to Yoshihiro Togashi/Shueisha, Jump comics, Fuji Television and Studio Pierrot and licensed by FUNImation Productions, Inc.


End file.
